Four Spikes named to NYPL All-Star Game
Four State College Spikes players will be featured in the New York-Penn League All-Star Game on Tuesday, August 19, as announced by the league today. Shortstop Robelys Reyes and second baseman Darren Seferina will join pitchers Will Anderson and Kyle Grana on the South team for the NYPL's 10th annual Midsummer Classic at MCU Park in Brooklyn, NY.
The NYPL All-Star Game has changed formats for the 2014 season, and the four Spikes will join All-Stars from Aberdeen, Brooklyn, Jamestown, Mahoning Valley, Staten Island and Williamsport on the South team. Players from Auburn, Batavia, Connecticut, Hudson Valley, Lowell, Tri-City and Vermont will form the North squad for the league's showcase event.
All four of the Spikes' All-Stars have helped the club to a 7 ½ game lead over Auburn in the league's Pinckney Division through August 9. The Spikes' 33-21 record is the best for any team comprising the All-Star Game's South squad.
Reyes earned his All-Star Game berth after hitting .287 with two home runs and 22 runs batted in over 40 games. The Valverde, Dominican Republic native has also showed a slick glove at shortstop, and shares the team lead with 12 stolen bases. Reyes has five three-hit games this year, and strikes out just once every 11.31 plate appearances, the third-best ratio in the NYPL.
Seferina, the Cardinals' fifth-round draft choice this year out of Miami-Dade College in Florida, has hit .289 with six doubles and 7 RBI over 37 games in his first pro season. The Willemstad, Curacao native has formed a potent combination with Reyes up the middle, helping the Spikes to turn a total of 45 double plays on the season. Seferina has also swiped 12 bases for State College this year.
Anderson is 5-1 with a 2.22 earned run average over 52 2/3 innings on the hill in 2014. The Cardinals' 2013 26th-round draft choice holds the third-best ERA in the league, and has struck out 43 batters while walking only eight. Anderson, a native of Pleasanton, CA, has earned victories in each of his last five decisions, and set the single-game Spikes record with 10 strikeouts against Williamsport on June 29 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Grana has made 18 relief appearances, but his 48 strikeouts are tied for fourth-best among all pitchers in the league. The Wildwood, MO native was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cardinals last year out of Bellarmine, and has put together a 3-2 record with four saves and a 1.17 ERA in his second professional season. Grana has also struck out 14.09 batters per nine innings, the second-best rate among all NYPL relievers.
Full rosters for both teams will be announced on Monday. More information on the 2014 New York-Penn League All-Star Game can be found at the host Brooklyn Cyclones' official website, brooklyncyclones.com.
Fans can catch the Spikes' All-Stars in action when they return home to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for a three-game series against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers starting on Tuesday.
Tickets for each of the three games during the upcoming homestand, as well as all nine games remiaining on the Spikes' 2014 home slate, can be purchased by clicking here, by calling (814) 272-1711, or by visiting the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park Box Office.